Apparatus for transporting flexible material in a short loop dryer



' Jan. 21,' 1964 Filed Feb. 25. 1961 H. HAAs 3,118,583 APPARATUS FoRTRANsPoRTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL TN A SHORT LooP DRYER 4 Sheets-Sheet lHERMANN HAAS /NvENoR BY Hwa/l MM d- @MAH/Lay Jan. 21, H. HAAS APPARATUSFOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LOOP DRYER Filed Feb. 23,1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3

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Jan. 21, 1964 H. HAAs 3,118,583

APPARATUS FOR TRANsPoRTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LooP DRYER FiledFeb. 23, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 HE R MANN HAAS /NvENoR BVM, M' A l 10M@Moi/mmf@ Jan. 21, 1964 H HAAS 3,118,583

APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IN A SHORT LOOP DRYER FiledFeb. 23, 1961 4 Shee'bS--Slleel'I 4 Fig. 8

HERMANN HAAS /NvENoR BYQ ,I i. 10% b4 abba/n.140@

United States Patent Ohee iifi Patented Jan. 2i, 1964 3,118,583APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING FLEXIBLE MATERIAL IW A SHORT LOOP DRYERHermann Haas, Postschiiessfach 25, Remscheid-Lennep, Germany Filed Feb.23, 1961, Ser. No. 90,981 2 Claims. (Cl. 226-105) This invention relatesto apparatus for transporting `ilexible material in a drying chamber,and more particularly to such apparatus for use in a drying chamberhaving a relatively short material transport dimension.

In the drying of webs of damepned textile material, vfor example, it iscustomary to pass the web through a heated chamber. In order to minimizethe size of the drying chamber, it is preferable to employ a stack ofhorizontal belts or like means to carry the web, passing the web fromone to the other of the belts as vfor example from the uppermost belt tothe second uppermost belt. To conserve space alternate belts move inopposite directions. This requires the web to pass off the end of onebelt, drop to the next belt, and change direction. This change ofdirection must be accomplished carefully to prevent damage to thematerial.

This change of direction has been accomplished successfully under theteachings of the prior art. However it may be desired to increase thedrying capacity of a given size dryer. One manner of doing this is tospeed up the dryer or raise the temperature. This may be injurious tothe fabric.

Itis an object of this invention to provide flexible web transportapparatus which will facilitate an increase in capacity of a dryer andsimultaneously will facilitate the reversal of the web as may berequired.

in the accomplishment of the invention in a preferred embodiment, atextile web is transported by a series of rollers which are moved thelength of the dryer by means of a chain drive. The web is caused to fallinto loops between the rollers which are spaced apart for the purpose,and novel means are provided for withdrawing the loop from between therollers at web reversing points.

The objects and features of the invention will become more apparent asthe description proceeds with the aid of the laccompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. l is a diagrammatic side view of a drying chamber according to theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic transverse View of the dryer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side view of the reversing structure of theinvention;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front View, partially in section, of a transportroller and associated reversing structure;

FIG. 5 is a view taken on the line 5--5 of FIG. 4;

FlG. 6 is a fragmentary front view, partially in section, of thepreferred transport roller reversing structure.

FIG. 7 is a view taken on the line 7-7 of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a pair of transport barsshowing different size web loops.

Referring to the above-mentioned drawings for a more particulardescription, FIG. 1 shows a short loop dryer constructed according tothe invention in which the web of dampened textile material 1Q isintroduced into the dryer as =at 12 and deposited on a first web carrier14 near the top of the dryer. After traveling the length of the irstcarrier 14 the deb 1t) is deposited at 16 on a second, lower, webcarrier 18. The second carrier 18 transports the web back through thedryer Whereupon it is deposited on a third, still lower, web carrier 20continuing in this fashion until the web is delivered from the dryer asat 22.

FIG. 2. is an end view of the dryer showing two stacks of web carriers14, 18, 2d and 24 by means of which two webs may be simultaneouslydried. Heating elements as for example steam pipes 26 are positioned oneither side of the dryer and air is forced past them by fans 28. Battlesindicated at 3G, 32 and 34 are used to most etiiciently direct thedrying air laround the webs.

The web carriers 14, 18, Z@ and 24 are substantially identical inconstruction and consequently only the carrier 14 Will be described. Theweb carrier 14 includes a series of parallel spaced-apart rollers 36.The rollers 36 are carried through the dryer by chains or similarconventional transport means. The web 10 is fed onto the series ofrollers 36 and is positioned to drape or loop between them as seen inFIG. 8 where webs it?, 16m, and ib illustrate web loops of varyingdepth. It will be obvious that such disposition of the web greatlyincreases the web holding capacity of the drier without increasing itsoperating speed.

The web 1d is caused to fall into appropriate lops by a novel crosselement indicated at 38. The cross element 3S comprises a shaft 4"?journaled for rotation parallel to the web carrier 14. A bracket 4Zcross-shaped in coniiguration is secured to the shaft it? at either endand rollers 44 are journaled at the end of each leg of the cross element33. The cross element 38 is driven in synchronization with the webcarrier 14 and is positioned so that a roller 44 is caused to dipbetween each pair of web rollers 36 `as they pass beneath it. Thisaction results in the forming of a loop of web itl between each pair ofrollers 36, the depth of the loop depending on the distance to which theroller 44 dips between the pair of -web rollers 36. FIG. l shows a crosselement 3S at 46 at the beginning of web carrier 14- and a second crosselement 38 at 48 at the end thereof, the latter being employed, in part,to insure uniformity of loop depth as the web 16 approaches the end ofthe web carrier 14.

The looped or draped configuration of the web 1i) presents a problem,however, as to delivery of the web l@ from one web carrier to another,as from carrier 14 to carrier 18. lt will be noted that the web l@ mustnot only drop to the lower carrier but must also reverse direction. Inorder to accomplish this, the loops must be drawn out prior to reversalof the web 1t?. On the other hand the loops must be prevented fromdrawing out prior to the termination of the web carrier on which the webis moving.

These two objects are accomplished by novel operation of the rollers 36.A shaft Sil is provided extending axially from the ends of each roller36 as seen in FIG-S. 4 `and 6. An idler wheel 52 is journaled on theshaft 46 adjacent the roller 36 and rides on a guide way 54 which runssubstantially the whole length of the web carrier, terminating justshort of the end thereof. This structure supports the rollers 36 duringmost of their travel. Adjacent the idler 52 the chain system or otherroller connecting means is connected to the shaft Sti at 56. Theconnecting means illustrated in Fig. 3 is a series of bar elements 53.Adjacent the connection point 56 of the bar elements 53 to the shaft5t), a sprocket wheel 60 is positioned as seen in the preferredembodiment illustrated in FIG. 6. A shoulder 62 is formed on the innerside of the sprocket wheel 60. The shaft Si? is secured to sprocketwheel 6% so that rotation thereof will cause rotation of the roller 36.

In order to prevent the loops of web 10 from drawing out prematurely therollers 35 are caused to rotate in reverse direction to the line oftravel of the web carrier. This is accomplished by positioning anendless drive chain 64 to engage the lower periphery of the sprocketwheels 60 and by driving the chain 64 in the same direction as the webcarrier. This causes the rollers 36 to rotate in reverse directionthereby slightly urging the web backward and preventing any givenportion of web l0 from continuously engaging a roller 3e which conditionmight otherwise mar the materiar, and simultaneously preventing theloops rfrom drawing out prematurely.

When, however, the web reaches the end of the web carrier ldthe loopsmust b e drawn out so that the web may be delivered to the next lowerweb carrier. This is accomplished by causing `the sprocket wheel en toengage a fixed cam or? which is attached as at e8 to a stationaryportion of the apparatus generally aligned -with an end roller 7@ overwhich the web carrier i4 passes. The cam 66 in the preferred embodimentshown in FTG. v6 engages the shoulder 62, on the sprocket wheel (all.This causes the roller 36 to rotate to draw out the loop. The length orthe cam 66 is selected to cause roller 36 to only draw out the loop, andis not long enough to cause roller 36 to operate so as to stretch thefabric. It will be noted that sprocket wheel 60 has been disengaged fromchain drive eilprior to engagement with cam 66.

An alternative embodiment is shown in 1FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein the earn e6is provided with a series of bars 74 yformed by bolts 72 to engage thesprocket wheel 66, Although satisfactory, the engagement of the sprocketwheel 6h and cam 'e6 is abrupt and under certain conditions may occasionexcessive wear on the two elements. As a result the engagement of asmooth cam 66 with the shoulder 62 ispreferablel It will be noted thatby positioning a cross element 38 at 43 close to the end of web carrier14 the web 16 is prevented rom drawing out bacli along the web in anyappreciable degree.

It is my intention to claim all changes and modifications of the exampleof the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do notconstitute departures from the spirit and scope o the invention.

I claim:

l. Apparatus for transporting a looped web of ilexible material througha dryer comprising; an endless conveyor Web carrier having a pluralityof uniformly spaced cylindrical rollers for receiving and carrying saidlooped web from a start point to a nish point; means for placing saidweb upon said rollers at the start point so that web loops are formedbetween each successive pair of rollers; means for moving said endlessconveyor web carrier through the dryer; idler wheels supporting saidrollers; a guideway upon Iwhich said idler wheels travel; means forrevolving said rollers to drive said web loops in a direction opposed tothe line of travel of said web carrier, said revolving means including ashaft projecting -from one end of each roller, a sprocket wheel xed oneach said shaft and in engagement with means for driving said sprocket;and a fixed member having `a surface extending along the path of saidrollers vadjacent the Vfinish point of roller travel, said fixed memberpositioned to successively engage a portion of each said sprocket wheelthereby rotating each said sprocket wheel to drive the web portion incontact with the affected roller in the direction of web carrier travelwhereby each loop of web material Vis drawn taut vprior to beingtransported to the-next web carrier.

2. The apparatus of claim l further characterized by said sprocket wheelhaving an integral shoulder and said fixed member having an arcuateregular surface positioned to engage said integral shoulder.

References Cited in the rile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,988,255 Colker lune l3, l96l FOREIGN PATENTS 606,978 Germany Dec. 14,1934 742,857 Germany Dec. 13, 1943

1. APPARATUS FOR TRANSPORTING A LOOPED WEB OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL THROUGHA DRYER COMPRISING; AN ENDLESS CONVEYOR WEB CARRIER HAVING A PLURALITYOF UNIFORMLY SPACED CYLINDRICAL ROLLERS FOR RECEIVING AND CARRYING SAIDLOOPED WEB FROM A START POINT TO A FINISH POINT; MEANS FOR PLACING SAIDWEB UPON SAID ROLLERS AT THE START POINT SO THAT WEB LOOPS ARE FORMEDBETWEEN EACH SUCCESSIVE PAIR OF ROLLERS; MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ENDLESSCONVEYOR WEB CARRIER THROUGH THE DRYER; IDLER WHEELS SUPPORTING SAIDROLLERS; A GUIDEWAY UPON WHICH SAID IDLER WHEELS TRAVEL; MEANS FORREVOLVING SAID ROLLERS TO DRIVE SAID WEB LOOPS IN A DIRECTION OPPOSED TOTHE LINE OF TRAVEL OF SAID WEB CARRIER, SAID REVOLVING MEANS INCLUDING ASHAFT PROJECTING FROM ONE END OF EACH ROLLER, A SPROCKET WHEEL FIXED ONEACH SAID SHAFT AND IN ENGAGEMENT WITH MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID SPROCKET;AND A FIXED MEMBER HAVING A SURFACE EXTENDING ALONG THE PATH OF SAIDROLLERS ADJACENT THE FINISH POINT OF ROLLER TRAVEL, SAID FIXED MEMBERPOSITIONED TO SUCCESSIVELY ENGAGE A PORTION OF EACH SAID SPROCKET WHEELTHEREBY ROTATING EACH SAID SPROCKET WHEEL TO DRIVE THE WEB PORTION INCONTACT WITH THE AFFECTED ROLLER IN THE DIRECTION OF WEB CARRIER TRAVELWHEREBY EACH LOOP OF WEB MATERIAL IS DRAWN TAUT PRIOR TO BEINGTRANSPORTED TO THE NEXT WEB CARRIER.